Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) Generator
Create cumulative flow diagrams to visualize workflow stages, identify bottlenecks, and track lead time, throughput, and WIP metrics.
Workflow Stages
Add Data Point
What is a Cumulative Flow Diagram?
A Cumulative Flow Diagram (CFD) is a stacked area chart that shows the quantity of work items in each stage of your workflow over time. It reveals bottlenecks, helps measure lead time and throughput, and provides a visual representation of work-in-progress (WIP). When bands widen, it indicates growing queues; when they narrow, work is flowing efficiently.
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How to Use the CFD Generator
Configure Workflow Stages
Set up your workflow stages (e.g., Backlog, In Progress, Testing, Done). You can add or remove stages to match your actual process.
Add Data Points
For each time period (day, week, sprint), enter the cumulative count of items in each stage. Add data points chronologically to build your diagram over time.
Analyze the Diagram
Review the generated CFD and the calculated metrics (lead time, throughput, average WIP). Look for widening bands that indicate bottlenecks or growing queues.
Practical Use Cases
Kanban Flow Analysis
"Track how work items flow through your Kanban board over time. Identify stages where items pile up and take corrective action."
Sprint Retrospective
"Use the CFD in retrospectives to visualize how work progressed during the sprint and discuss flow efficiency improvements."
Process Improvement
"Compare CFDs across multiple sprints or quarters to measure the impact of process changes on lead time and throughput."
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Frequently Asked Questions
?What is a Cumulative Flow Diagram?
A CFD is a stacked area chart that shows the total number of items in each workflow stage over time. It is one of the most powerful tools for understanding flow in Lean and Agile processes.
?How do I read a CFD?
The vertical distance between two stage lines represents the number of items in that stage at a given time. The horizontal distance between the top and bottom lines represents the approximate lead time. A widening band means items are accumulating in that stage.
?What metrics does this tool calculate?
The tool calculates lead time (how long items take from start to finish), throughput (items completed per period), and average work-in-progress (WIP). These are derived using Little's Law.
?Should I use cumulative or absolute counts?
Enter the total cumulative count of items that have reached each stage, not the number currently in that stage. For example, if 20 items have ever entered 'In Progress', enter 20 even if only 5 are currently there.
?Is my data private and secure?
Yes. All data processing happens entirely in your browser. No data is sent to any server. Your data is saved locally in your browser for convenience.
?Is this tool free?
Yes, the CFD Generator is completely free to use with no sign-up or registration required.
?Can I use this for Scrum teams?
Absolutely. While CFDs are traditionally associated with Kanban, they work equally well for Scrum teams. Use your sprint stages and track data at the end of each sprint or daily.